Smile
by thepineandthestar
Summary: "Adrien," the doctor started, staring at the boy's confused green eyes, "Adrien you have brain cancer." Adrien stared for a while at the doctor, exhaling deeply and inhaling abruptly. His grip on Marinette tightened as reality sunk in. "Wh-What?" He whispered
1. Chapter 1

**Open your mouths children, it's time for your weekly dose of angst and Sadrien.**

* * *

"You need to have that looked at." Nino stated as he watched his friend clutch his head in pain, "Seriously. Come on, I'll bring you to the clinic."

"It's just," Adrien groaned in pain, once more, almost clawing at his head, "just a headache, Nino."

"Look, bro, you said that to me four days ago and you're saying that excuse to me again? I'm not convinced." Nino shook his head then went over to where his friend was sitting

He grabbed one of Adrien's arms and slung it over his shoulder before assisting him to the nurse's clinic.

"Nino I said I'm fine. Come on, we're going to be late. I don't want to get in trouble with Madame Bustier." Adrien refused

"Adrien I don't care if we're expelled. All I care about is you with your 'headache' for the past week." Nino brought the blond to the nurse's clinic

Adrien sat down once Nino had placed him on the bed, "Dude, it's nothing I swear."

"Well if it's nothing then I want to see a doctor's appointment made and a letter from that same doctor saying that you're fine." Nino crossed his arms then pulled his phone out

He typed for a while then placed it to his ear.

"Hey, yeah, Alya. Could you tell Madame Bustier that we can't go to class right now?" He spoke

 _"Sure thing. Why? What happened?"_

"Mister stubborn doesn't want to be brought to the clinic." Nino placed two of his fingers to the bridge of his nose

 _"He's still here? I thought he went home at lunch? I mean he's been puking the whole morning."_

"I know, I thought so too." He sent a sharp glare at Adrien

 _"Okay, Madame Bustier's here. I'll tell her. Marinette and I will go check up on you there after class."_

"See you two soon." Nino finished the call and placed it back in his pocket, "We're not going to get in trouble now. Would it kill you to just sleep and rest?"

"We're going to present our report today!" Adrien exclaimed

"And that's why Alya and Marinette are there. I'm pretty sure they know our parts." Nino shrugged then covered Adrien's eyes, "Now sleep. I'll tell the nurse everything when she gets here."

•••

"Hey Marinette, could you take over Adrien's part of the report?" Alya asked as she sat back down on her seat after talking to their teacher

"Yeah, but why? They aren't coming?" Marinette asked, peeking at the empty seats in front of them

"Uh, Adrien has a headache and he still hasn't gone home." Alya responded, "But I'm sure he'll be fine."

Alya sighed after reassuring her that he was to go back to school by Monday. Marinette, due to her tardy behavior, had not seen Adrien go back and forth to the bathroom, just vomiting his dinner and breakfast out. And Alya was not going to say that to her friend.

They presented their researches to the class and Marinette was the least bit nervous but a bit excited to their short nurse's clinic visit to happen after the period. After the hour has ended, the two were allowed to go down to the clinic as long as they would come back fifteen minutes later.

Alya was the first one in, followed by Marinette. They looked for a while then found Nino on his phone next to Adrien was sleeping, back facing them.

"You finally got him to sleep." Alya said, relieved

"It was hard. I had to put my hand on his eyes and he'd bite my hand and he would scratch me. Honestly he acts like a cat who doesn't want to be cuddled." Nino rolled his eyes, remembering their misadventures, "Anyway how was the presentation?"

Marinette piped the two down and made her way to where he was facing. She noticed how pale Adrien was. She ran a hand through his hair, fixing the strands that were going out of place.

The other two started to get quiet, just watching Marinette play with his light and fluffy hair.

"He's so pale. What happened to him?" Marinette asked, aware that she was being watched by her friends but still not stopping her actions

"Headaches for the past week, nausea, vomiting." Nino counted using his fingers

"Nausea." Marinette whispered, furrowing her brows, then tracing her hand to his cheek and jaws, "Alya didn't tell me anything about that. She just said that he had a headache."

The topic started fluttering his eyes open and Marinette pulled her hand back as if his cheek was scalding hot. She blushed lightly and watched as he squinted his eyes at her.

"Marinette?" He asked weakly before blinking rapidly and rubbing his eyes, "Marinette where am I?"

"N-Nurse's clinic." Marinette answered

"What? Who brought me here? What about the presentation?" His eyes widened

"It's fine. We took care of it." Alya answered

Adrien gasped when he looked at his left and saw his two other friends.

"Is this because of the headache?" He asked, "Why am I here?"

"Dude why do you not remember? You were asleep for an hour, not a day." Nino pointed out

"I just," he sighed, "I can't recall but it's coming back. Can we just get to class now?"

"The doctor's appointment, Adrien. It's Friday. Plenty of time to go to a doctor." Nino replied

"Fine, fine. I'll go to the doctor if we go to class right now." Adrien haggled

"Yes. Anything to let you go to the doctor." Nino replied, "Come on, we'll tell the nurse on the way out."

The two girls helped Adrien sit and, once he stepped on the floor and used his legs to stand, he fell down to the ground. Marinette gasped and fumbly tried to pull him up again.

"Adrien," she whispered as she helped him stand again, "what is wrong with you?"

"Nothing." He answered, eyes closed, "I'm fine."

They went back to the classroom with a little bit of difficulty since Adrien had a hard time walking the whole way back. Alya opened the door to the room and helped as the three went in.

"I thought I told you two to come back in fifteen minutes." Miss Bustier crossed her arms

"We're sorry, Madame. Adrien really wanted to get to class but we didn't want him to." Marinette reasoned, completely used to the fact that she had to send reasons and excuses everywhere to everyone

•••

School had finished for the week soon and the group of friends once again helped Adrien to his car before heading off to where they were going. Adrien sighed and let Plagg out from his shirt.

"They're right, you know." Plagg pointed out, voice low, "You need to see a doctor."

"Plagg, if I'm sick, Nathalie and father will not let me go to school. Ladybug won't let me fight." Adrien responded, voice just above a whisper

"But what if it's something serious? You'd think Ladybug would like it if you just suddenly curl up in a ball because of the pain in the middle of an Akuma attack?" Plagg crossed his tiny arms

Adrien sighed, "You win."

He turned to his driver, "Can you bring me to my doctor, please?"

Gorilla nodded and shifted the car to drive to the left. It was soon that they had arrived at the doctor's clinic. Adrien jumped down the car and entered the clinic. The familiar scent of the hospital hit him as he entered and walked to the reception. He booked an appointment for the next hour and was lucky that the doctor was in and did not have an appointment yet. He was given a slip of the time he was to go in and he sat down at the benches.

He pulled his phone out and started texting Nino.

 _Adrien:_ Here at the doctor's.

 _Nino:_ Pics or it isnt happenin

Adrien sighed and took a picture of the door with the sign of the clinic and sent it to Nino.

 _Nino:_ Take a pctre of urself w/ d slp

Adrien rolled his eyes and took a picture of him with the slip, his eyes with half lidded and mouth pursed together. He sent it to Nino, not caring what he looked like.

It took a while before his friend replied.

 _Nino:_ U couldve takn tht phto yestrday...

Adrien sighed exasperatedly and chuckled. He knew that Nino was just messing with him.

 _Adrien:_ If I did take that photo yesterday then we wouldn't be having this conversation, now would we?

 _Nino:_ Sure dude. Suuuure

Adrien laughed lightly. Yes he was messing with Adrien. He decided to text Alya about what he was busy about since she had pestered him to no end that he should go to the doctor.

 _Adrien:_ Hey Alya. Followed your instructions and I'm here at the doctor.

There was a short while before his phone rang.

 _Alya:_ Pics or it isnt happnin

Adrien sighed again.

 _Adrien:_ This isn't Alya isn't it? Give the phone to Alya, Nino.

 _Alya:_ Yeesh. Fne grmpy pnts

 _Alya:_ I'm really sorry for that adrien. So youre at the doctor? Thats good tell us the results after kay?

 _Adrien:_ Yeah sure. Please don't make Nino text me 'Pics or it isn't happening' again. He forced me to take a picture with the slip and accused me of having taken it yesterday.

 _Alya:_ Haha. Thats nino for you. Gotta go maris calling

He was called soon after and was forced to sit on the bed.

"So what have you been feeling, Adrien?" The doctor asked

He was still awkward with his doctor but he had been his doctor since he was three. Maybe he could trust him.

"My head's aching almost everyday and I feel nausea at some points of the day and I vomit from time to time. Also I had a hard time memorizing my lines for our report and it was just a paragraph." Adrien felt very exposed when he disclosed a lot of things to people he did not trust much, "I also had a hard time remembering where I was earlier and I couldn't see my friends' faces clearly and they seem like there are two of them. I also had a hard time walking."

The doctor nodded, having written all of his complaints, "Mhm. Let's go back to the headaches. When does it usually happen?"

"Mornings." Adrien answered, "They're the worst during the morning but it still happens almost all day long."

"Adrien," the doctor started, "if I were to base from what you said, I'd recommend you to get a CT scan or an MRI."

Adrien furrowed his brows, glaring lightly at the doctor, "Wait, no, doctor. It's just a headache. Or maybe I ate bad food. I don't need a scan."

"Adrien, it's a suggestion but I highly recommend that you do." The doctor placed a hand on his shoulder, "I could send you to the hospital right now and I could get you rushed results if you really want to see it now."

Adrien was beyond shocked. He could not register why he needed a CT scan. For all he knew from the drama shows he watched, CT scans were the causes of the drama. He did not want drama.

"There's something wrong with me." He looked down at his palms facing upwards, "Tell me, please."

"Nothing is wrong, Adrien. We just need to see if something," the doctor paused, trying to find the right words for the fifteen year old, "if there is something needed to be fixed. You'll feel better after this, trust me."

"How can I feel better if I'm sick?" He spat the last word with disgust

He knew that there was something wrong with him. The doctor was just sugarcoating things. With an aching heart, he stood up and paid the fees before racing back to the car and just sitting for a while. He fished his phone out of his bag and dialed Nino's number.

 _"Hey bro, how'd it go?"_

"Nino where are you right now?" He asked

 _"Alya and I are at Marinette's. Is there something wrong?"_

"Please don't leave there. I'm heading over." He dropped the phone back to his bag then turned to his driver, "Could you bring me to Tom and Sabine's? The bakery near school. I forgot that we had a group homework."

The Gorilla nodded and drove to the bakery. He dropped the blond off and went to the mansion, Adrien promising that he would call after the group homework. He entered and greeted Sabine and Tom.

"Is Marinette home?" He asked

"Oh yes, she's upstairs. You can go ahead. Do you want anything?" Sabine smiled at the boy

"No thank you." Adrien replied then stepped up

He paused then went back down to the counter then grinned at the woman, "You know what, can I get three croissants?"

After paying for the food, it had taken a while to convince the older Cheng that he would pay, he went upstairs and looked for his friends. They were all sitting in front of the television, not noticing that he had arrived. He cleared his throat and they all turned around.

"So how was the doctor's appointment?" Nino asked

Adrien just sat down next to Marinette, the only seat left, and stared at the television as they looked on at him.

"Hey we were asking something?" Alya spoke up

"Guys what's the reason why a person needs a CT scan?" He asked plainly

"A CT scan?" Marinette's eyes widened as she looked back at the other two then back to Adrien, "Adrien you need a CT scan?"

"Technically it's my choice if I would." He answered, looking at his friends, "What's wrong with me? I can't understand it. I can't understand anything." His eyes started welling up, "What am I sick with? Why, why me?"

He started sobbing in his palms. It had just hit him. CT scans were clearly meant for deadly illnesses. He could not bear the thought of something inside him killing him.

"A-Adrien." Marinette touched his shoulder then enveloped him in a tight hug, not thinking about her crush on him or the blush that was coloring her face red, "It's not that there's something wrong but please, do what the doctor says."

Adrien grasped the back of Marinette's shirt tightly as if it was a lifeline. He refused to let go like a child to his mother's skirt in the mall. He wept on her shoulder, Marinette not minding the least bit. She was happy to hold Adrien in her arms as he broke down to pieces. Maybe she could pull him back together.

"And besides," she continued, a bit teary-eyed herself, "we're going to be here whatever happens. We're not going to leave you, okay? You're welcome anytime you want to talk to us."

She felt Adrien nod lightly, still clinging to her. It hurt to see Adrien there, just holding onto her and crying. She knew that they were not supposed to be the first ones to know, his father having more of a right to know first, even his mother. But if his home condition was _that_ bad then she was willing to give him a proper home. She played with his hair lightly as she patted his back. Adrien nuzzled closer to her body, content with the warmth of someone who cared.

•••

He peeked through the door where his father was. Gabriel sat on his office desk writing something on his notebook. He did not even look up when Adrien had stepped forward to his table.

"F-Father?" Adrien called shakily

Gabriel turned to his writings, "What is it, Adrien?"

"Father I might," Adrien gulped

What would his father do to him when he knows Adrien's condition?

"I might need a CT scan." He continued weakly

Gabriel's eyes and hand stopped. He looked up at his son and saw his puffy eyes.

"What happened to your eyes?" Gabriel asked

"It's nothing." Adrien muttered

"Why would you need a CT scan then?"

Adrien fiddled with his ring, "I went to the doctor earlier and he recommended it."

"Well why haven't you told Nathalie yet?" He questioned, "Nathalie!"

"Yes, sir?" Nathalie had immediately entered the room

"Book an appointment for a CT scan for Adrien. Make the appointment as soon as possible." Gabriel commanded

"And father?" Gabriel's eyes were back to him, "I talked to my friends earlier. They suggested that I would stop school for a while until I get better."

"Nathalie can continue your education then." Gabriel nodded

"But they'll be here to check up on me." He continued, "Will that be okay?"

Gabriel stopped for a while. Adrien's friends in his house? Again? He remembered the disrespectful one from Adrien's birthday. He sighed, wanting nothing about those children but thinking about his son's inevitable recovery.

"They get to be here after school until five thirty on weekdays and from one in the afternoon until five in the afternoon on weekends." Gabriel suggested, "That or none at all."

"I am happy with that." Adrien smiled weakly

"You may go if you want to." Gabriel responded

Adrien smiled wider and exited the room. At least he got some time to talk to his father. That was a rare opportunity and he was satisfied for the five minutes.

•••

The scan was scheduled the day after and, with their money and influence, they could also get the results just a good two hours after. Adrien sat in the cafeteria of the hospital. He had just finished his scan and another headache was forming. He rested his head on the table, still waiting for his father to arrive after he had told him that he would. The pain was becoming unbearable that he wanted to scream. He wanted help. Needed it badly but there was none. He looked like a mere visitor, who would expect him to have the episode?

Then a gentle hand was placed on his arm. He could feel the warmth of the hand even under his dark green jacket. He looked up and saw a girl with eyes as blue as the heavens above. He furrowed his brows. He knew this girl and it seemed like she knew him.

"Adrien are you okay?" She asked him, concern flashed on her face

"Yeah, yeah," he nodded, trying to not look like he wanted to chop his head off from all the pain

Then it cleared out eventually, "You are?"

The girl's eyes widened as if offended. He was really sure he had met her somewhere.

"Adrien?" She raised a brow

"Yes, Marinette?" He asked, wishing the name that suddenly popped in his head was correct

The girl nodded, "Yeah, I'm, I'm Marinette." She sat down from across him, "I thought your father was here? Nino told me that he was with you."

"He'll be here." He told her, well, mostly to himself, "He promised. He knows how big this is for me."

The girl, he remembered that she was Marinette, nodded, "So your scans are done?"

"Yeah, I'm waiting for the results." He answered

The atmosphere was silent and awkward around them, Marinette not knowing what to say and Adrien not knowing that there should be something said.

"I'm, I'm gonna go," she started hesitantly

His smile faltered for a moment before nodding.

She gulped. As much as she wanted to support him, she did not know how. After all, she was not in the hospital to do that, she was there to deliver pastries to a customer, "But I could stay if you want."

"Stay." He said abruptly, "Please."

"I could call Nino if you want to." She offered

He looked at her for a while, "No, it's fine. I don't want to tell him what ever in the results are yet."

His phone buzzed and he stood up, "The results are ready. Can you come with me?"

Marinette blushed at his extended hand asking for hers. She put her hand on his and his cold finger instantly intertwined with hers. It was clear that he was scared. It was also clear that he did not want what he assumed what the words were. Marinette could feel it too. Of course he was someone so important to her that she did not want to see him breakdown once more. It was too much. It was painful. But she had to be strong. For a friend.

They entered the elevator and he pressed the third button. Soon, they were in front of the office where his doctor was. His own doctor had said that he would be there for the young boy. That he would be the one to tell him about whatever it was. At least the man was kind enough to be there even if he was paid.

Adrien and Marinette stood in front of the office, Adrien not wanting to enter. He still had a strong grip on Marinette's hand and, although it was hurting her a bit, she did not care. She had to be with Adrien. Especially that there was not anyone in sight that was there for him.

Eternity ended and he finally opened the door. They entered and sat on the two chairs, Adrien fixing Marinette's seat so she would be sitting next to him. He took a deep breath then nodded to the older man.

"Adrien we have to be strong, alright? What ever's in this," he held up the envelope that had the results, "we have to accept it and find the cure okay? We have to keep moving forward. Whatever happens. Do you promise this?"

He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. What would he say? What _should_ he say? What if he had three days to live? How would he 'move forward'? That was definitely not the kind of things he wanted.

He tried again, voice cracking, "I promise."

The doctor nodded and opened the envelope. His face was emotionless as he read the words written on it. He did not show any signs that there was something wrong but Adrien knew the man for too long that he was just being strong for him.

Marinette held his hand in her two hands, rubbing it to tell him that he was there whatever the results were.

"Adrien," the doctor started, staring at the boy's confused green eyes, "Adrien you have brain cancer."

Adrien stared for a while at the doctor, exhaling deeply and inhaling abruptly. His grip on Marinette tightened as reality sunk in.

"Wh-What?" He whispered

"It's a Grade 3 malignant tumor. Although it's at the second highest stage, it's not the highest. We can still find a way for a cure." The doctor told him

Adrien bit his lip, not knowing what to say, not knowing what to feel, not knowing what to anything. The doctor passed the results to him and, even if he could not understand most of them, he could still see some, many actually, things that were wrong in the scan. It was so obvious. And it was killing him.

He did not know what to make of it. Was it possible that he would die in three days? Was there a cure his money could afford? Was there any cure at all? Would his life end short without having done anything worthwhile? A million questions ran through his head and he did not know what to answer first or seek for an answer first. It was not fair. Nothing was. Why him? Why, of all the people in the world, would he have brain cancer?

Meanwhile, Marinette hated the look on his face. That confused and hurt look on his face. He looked like he did not know what to do. He looked like a lost kitten trying to find his mother only to notice that she had already left him. The pain stabbed at her heart repeatedly. The grip on her hand was still there and he was unconsciously shaking. She did not know what to do too. Should she comfort him? Should she try to find the silver lining? She just did not know what to do.

Well she did not until tears started making their way down Adrien's face. At first he just stared at the result, hot tears rolling down his face, him unconscious about it all. Then a sob escaped his mouth and soon he was weeping, crying loudly, yelling in frustration. He drew his hand back and placed them both on his face.

"No." He muttered to himself between sobs, "I'm-. This-."

Marinette was afraid to touch him, feeling as if the moment she hugs him, she would start crying too. She could not cry, not in front of him. She had to be strong for him. This was something big. This was a huge turn in his life. Although she hesitated, she slowly placed a hand on his hair, making it way down to his nape until she was pulling him in. He cried and cried on her shirt and she did not care.

She instantly felt bad. Adrien Agreste, renowned model of Gabriel, the same Adrien that had been so kind to all people and had given time for his fans, the same one who tried to reach anyone who ever wanted him there. He knew so many people and so many people knew him.

But it was sad that there were only two in the billions that adored him were there with him at his breaking point.

"We'll," Marinette bit her lip, eyes welling up too, "we'll fight through this, right Adrien? We won't give up?"

He sniffed, "We?"

"Y-Yeah," it broke her that he thought that he was alone in the most dangerous battle he ever had to face, "we. You, me, your doctor, Nino, Alya. Adrien we're here. We are going to get through this."

"Th-ank you." He whispered, clinging to her for dear life

•••

The battle was hard. Marinette was sure. And it only became harder when Adrien was given a date.

He was given two years. Two years left. He would not even reach his eighteenth birthday. When it was the rite of passage where he could be free in his own sense. When he could finally move out of his prison and find a new place to live in, somewhere warm and cozy, he had noted once. When he could finally find something and use that to embark in his own journey, whether it be under fashion or modelling or anything. He wanted that freedom. He longed for that freedom. Maybe then he could find his mother. Maybe then he could find the one parent whom he cherished must as she did to him. Maybe then he would be happy.

So he did not know what his face became when he was told that he would not even reach that age. He would not have the birthday party of a lifetime with Nino and Alya and Marinette. He would not grow up with them to become their future selves or become someone in the world. He would be stuck at seventeen. And then someday his friends would become twenty five and find someone to marry then they would have their families and there would absolutely be no one who would remember Adrien Agreste more than the model who died young with cancer.

He never wanted that. He did not want that title. He could give it to someone else. He could give the riches to someone else if it would mean that his cancer would be gone too. He would love being a beggar so long as he lived a long happy life with his friends, the only people who treasured him the most.

And with the smallest of freedoms he had left, he transformed to Chat Noir, Paris' beloved hero. He jumped above rooftops upon rooftops to go to their usual meeting place before patrol. He knew that he had to tell it to Ladybug soon, after all, he was sure the little bug would not be happy to find out that her partner just disappeared off of the face of the earth forever. It was not fair for her. It was not for him too but he could just see the expression on her pretty face turn to confusion and sadness after he did not turn up for patrol or an Akuma attack or ever. Oh how sad would that be if he just disappeared without a trace and she was left alone wondering where he was and who he was and what happened.

"My Lady." He bowed at her, taking the seat next to her

"I don't feel like patrolling tonight, Chat." She responded weakly

"Good, we can have a date or something." Chat grinned

"Chat, I," Ladybug paused, "Chat I need to escape my real life for a while, okay? I wanna cry a lot for him but I just can't. I have to be strong."

He could see that she was already crying. He wiped the tears with his thumb.

"Hey, you can tell me anything." He offered

"Chat my friend's dying." She cried loudly, voice shaking, "I don't know what to do."

He patted her head then raised her chin up, "My Lady how can I tell you my secret then?" He frowned, cat ears drooping too

"Secret? Chat you know that we can't know who we really are." Ladybug replied

"But that's not it, my Lady." He stared at the heavens which were her eyes then looked up at the real skies, "I'm going on a trip in two years."

"Chat that's two years from now." She replied, "I think we'd be established by then."

"Yeah but it's somewhere you can't follow." He continued, "And I can't go back to Paris anymore."

"Are you migrating, chaton?" She furrowed her brows, eyes showing genuine sadness

"Bugaboo no." He chuckled then pointed at the skies, "There, I'm going there in two years. And if you think it's the moon, then no."

Ladybug stared at him for a while until the puzzle pieces clicked, "Chat shut up!"

"I promise I'll protect your friend up there. Maybe I could teach him puns for when you finally decide to come with us and follow. But that won't be in like a hundred years after." He smirked, "Don't be upset if _we_ become best friends my Lady. You know I'm irresistible."

"Chat no!" She yelled again, wanting nothing to pour out all of her emotions through tears, "You're not dying, okay? We're gonna be tracking Hawkmoth down then become best friends in our civilian lives and we'll probably be neighbors with annoying children."

"Hah, my Lady that would be a perfect future. Except I'm your husband and we'd have annoying children together." He laughed

She wanted to wipe the stupid smile on his face right then and there. He was not going to die. He was just saying that. Is he?

Marinette frowned and grasped her arm tightly, lower lip quivering, "Please don't leave me too."

"C'est la vie, my Lady." He whispered, placing a kiss on her hair

"No Chat you aren't going to 'C'est la vie' me!" She stood her ground, "You know what? I wanna know your identity right here. You're lying and I'll prove you wrong."

She regretted saying that because the next moment, he smirked atcher and detransformed and there was none other than her friend who was dying two years later.

"No." She whispered into her palms, "Chat-. Adrien-. You're not leaving me, okay? That's final. You're going to live with me for the rest of our lives. You're stuck to me. No dying allowed."

Adrien laughed again, hugging her tight, "Bugaboo you're no fun. Identity now. So I could say a formal goodbye to you."

Ladybug closed her eyes shut, tears leaking through, fists clench to his white polo shirt.

"Adrien I can't not have you." She responded, "I know that I'm supposed to be there for you and I'm sorry because I can't be strong enough."

"LB what are you talking about?" He asked, resting his chin on her shoulder

Ladybug let out a sob and detransformed. Adrien could only see a flash of pink then he could see those familiar pigtails Ladybug owned. He held her tight, savoring the moment that they were in their civilian selves. Then he grabbed her arms tight, making sure she would not go anywhere. He closed his eyes and faced himself in front of her. Slowly but surely he opened them again and saw the same friend that had come over everyday at every hour she could. The same friend who was there when the news were revealed. The only friend who understood and knew who he really way. The only one.

"Marinette." He smiled, "I'm so glad to meet you, Bugaboo."

"You're not leaving me right?" She was hiccuping already

"I thought we made that pact?" He smiled softly

"Together until the end," she started with a laugh

"With my bestest best friend." He finished, happy to see that she still knew the pact they made almost six months ago

"I can't do this alone." She whispered

"I couldn't have done the tests and medication alone too." He shrugged, "We'll fight, Ladybug, Marinette, Bugaboo."

Marinette smiled, hugging him tight, "We'll fight, mon petite chaton."

* * *

 **So this was supposed to be a one shot. Again. Yes I love my one shots they are more glorious than my novels. But as I was washing the dishes, I thought that maybe this ending was sort of happy I mean it's very open ended. Adrien could've been cured all along and they'd live a happy life together with their annoying children. But then I heard this thing about closure and yes you do need that because Adrien dies in this.**

 **I figured out that it was wrong to end The Last Time like that I mean I literally just killed Chat Noir and did not give you a sense that everything is alright in the end. But this story will. Just wait and see.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Fourteen years later**

Marinette walked through the grassy plains, heels digging through the freshly cut grass. She stopped after a little bit of walking and sat down on the field, smoothing out her pink dress.

"It's been a while." She looked down at the ground, grasping the black umbrella that was never hers but never gave back, "It's, it's been ten years. I expected that there will be more."

She knew that this day was some sort of a breaking point. Ten years. Ten lonely years after he decided to leave her. Ten years since Paris lost both of their beloved heroes. Ten years since Adrien Agreste, the young model, died of cancer.

"But I'm thankful that I'm alone here." She flashed him a smile, "At least I got to talk to you. There is so much to talk about."

She blinked away the tears that were threatening to fall. She laughed lightly, "Do you remember that time when we had that interview with Alya?"

She could recall that faithful day when they called her and waited in a hotel room. Chloé was more than happy to give them the room for an hour. After all, it was not everyday that her favorite superhero was to ask a favor from her.

She could recall Alya's awestruck look. She could also remember the way Nino took the video, smile wide. Alya had sat down in front of them, unsure what to do.

"Don't worry. We have time." She assured Alya

The girl nodded then started the questions. They were basic questions about how they got their powers, something that they could not answer directly but still gave an answer nonetheless.

"Why this specific day?" Alya asked them

Ladybug chuckled lightly then looked up at her partner's green eyes.

"Shall we tell them, my Lady?" Chat Noir grinned at her

"We shall." Ladybug nodded, "We picked this specific date because, one year ago," she looked at him and stared at him as she answered, "because one year ago we thought that he would die."

"What?" Alya's breathing hitched

"He was diagnosed with something we can't announce for privacy." She answered, "That was three years ago and he was told that he'd only live for two years. I didn't know how to say goodbye to him then." She held his hand tight and placed her head on his shoulder, "But one year later he's still kicking. Just had his eighteenth birthday last week and we're living together next week."

"Did you hear that?" Alya turned to her phone, "Ladybug and Chat Noir are going to live together! Isn't this exciting?"

"I also wanted to announce this," he smiled sadly at Alya then removed his blond hair, showing that there was none left, "Chemo did it to me. It was hard to accept, really."

"I wanted to shave my head for him too." Ladybug chuckled, "He didn't want to but could you get a poll up so the followers could choose if I do or don't?"

"LB." He said in a threatening tone, "No don't put that poll up." He pulled her close, putting a hand on her waist and nuzzling his cheek to her hair

"Also one more." Ladybug continued, "I heard about 'LadyNoir' a few weeks ago and wow people actually wanted us together. I'm convinced Chat was one of the founders of that thing."

"My Lady." He laughed at her, burying his face in her hair

"So, LadyNoir." Marinette nodded slightly, "It's happening. One year today!"

"Yeah so paws off other men." Chat growled, "The bug's mine."

Marinette could not remember what their other questions were. She could remember that it was the most fun she had from an interview. Alya was happy that she was going to be the one to announce it to the world and the duo could not be happier for her. She had shown the two the interview at their visiting hours for Adrien, claiming that they should have been there. Marinette and Adrien also felt like giving their friends, who were now dating and they did not even have a warning, another heart attack that they were together for a year. They left out the moving in together part, not wanting them to think that they had the same timing at the superheroes.

"And you know, after that there was the last interview I had. I announced that you, you died and," she gulped down a sob, "and that Paris won't be seeing the two of us anymore. I had to give Master Fu your miraculous and Plagg and at the burial, I just found Hawkmoth's jewelry on the ground." She explained to him as if he could still understand, "The mission was over and I had to give Tikki up too. Master Fu also said that if one of us was gone, then the other one would be replaced too. I guess we were compatible for only one person."

"I landed an internship at Gabriel." She announced to him, knowing that he would be happy since he knew that this was her dream, "That was two years ago, I'm sorry I couldn't tell it to you then. I'm a full time worker now. There's also a very special project your father wants from me."

"He wants a grandchild, Adrien. And he thought that something happened between us in those two years and that I'm hiding the kid." She laughed at the thought

Gabriel had really accused her of hiding a child from him when nothing actually happened between her and his son.

"He's paying biological scientists now and he really wants grandchildren. They found your hairstrand on a brush and they're using that for the DNA. Soon they're going to announce the newest Agreste." Marinette giggled, "I'm the foster mother, obviously. And apparently I'm the only girlfriend you had you dork."

She caressed the marble in front of her, tracing his name, "You're the only boyfriend I had too, don't worry. I can't marry you anymore because of laws and I can't get the name Agreste but the kid will. You're going to be a father, Adrien."

She frowned a bit, him never knowing that kid that was going to be made in about a year, "Your father's really ill and that's why they're rushing the grandchild. He wanted to meet the kid before dying. Couldn't blame him though, you left and your mother's gone again." She shrugged, "Have I told you that your mom was here at the burial? She and I were the only ones left and I got to talk to her, said she regretted that she wasn't there. But she promised that she'll come back if you ever had children." She laughed lightly, "And she thought that that was impossible."

"Alya and Nino always set me up for dates. But I always refused." She shook her head no, "I don't think I can get over you, chaton. Not after everything. Basically impossible. And now I'm going to have your kid, run Gabriel, and make your kid a successor. I won't wish for a father for him even if I know how much you'd want him to grow with one. The baby would understand. We'll try to make him understand." She nodded

"Oh hey do you remember that bucket list we made on our first night at our apartment?" Marinette smiled wide at the memory

They had filled up at least two short bondpapers with things to do. It was his bucket list extended with her dreams.

"We finished halfway." She sighed, "I thought I was never going to finish it but Alya and Nino were there. It took us a year to do it." She relished the faint memories of her and her friends, 20 years old and living the dream, "Yes even the photoshoot in Prague and we made it look like that photoshoot you always wanted, all wacky and crazy and fun. But there were two that aren't done yet."

"You wrote be married to my Lady, Bugaboo, the love of my life." She bit the insides of her cheeks, making her blush even from the afterlife, "Mon chaton, yes I would have gladly married you if we had the chance. I also found that ring," she faltered, "If you asked a day earlier I would've said yes. If you asked on our interview I would've said yes. I-. Anytime. I would've said yes."

"And coincidentally, I found a marriage certificate with my signature on it. How did you do that? And when did I sign that?" She raised a brow, waiting for an answer from him, "I'm going to get it checked and, I swear Adrien Agreste, if that certificate is valid you are so in trouble."

"But I'm-. I'm not going to revoke it. Maybe I'll change my last name. Would you like that?" She smiled sweetly, "Then the last thing is us having kids. Might not be possible to raise them with the two of us but we'll be having kids. It's going to be crossed out."

Her fingers brushed the marble that stood on the ground, "I miss you Adrien. More than you'll ever think. I'd prefer you flirting with me all the time with cat puns, you know that, minou? I love you so much, why is that?"

She wiped her tears away, letting the umbrella fall down her side, "I just can't understand why you had to go and leave me. What happened? I wish we could've detected it earlier and we could've prevented it."

"There's no day that I don't miss you Adrien." She nearly yelled to the silence of the cementery, "You're just-, I don't know-. Chaton you left me."

He left her. She spent days upon days crying her heart out after he died. She knew that he never wanted to see her cry. They almost always argued because she cried whenever she felt like breaking. It was a hard year for Marinette. They dated during the term of Adrien's chemotherapy and Marinette found it hard to accept that he was going to leave her even through how much treatment they gave him. It just lengthened his life to the point that it lengthened his pain and suffering.

He still took over being Chat Noir. He never stopped until he died despite Marinette's protests. His hair soon fell out little by little and it pained to see him desperately trying to cover the spots on his head. Some nights he just stared at the mirror and wondered what would happen the next day. It happened so often when they were nearing the two year mark. He was scared, obviously.

He would sometimes enter their room and sit in a far corner away from Marinette.

"Do you still love me even if I look like this?" He would ask over and over again

And each time, Marinette saw his hair thinning from the radiation, his eyes starting to sink from the sleepless and painful nights, bags under his eyes were forming and he was getting thinner from the worry and vomiting. She was basically seeing him die slowly.

But each and every time, she would walk over to him, sit down close and put her head on his shoulder and play with his trembling hands.

"Do you really think I don't love you?" She would respond

She would try to not cry as he wept on her shoulder, complaining how his career was crumbling down and how hard everything was becoming. Chemotherapy never eased the pain.

He soon wanted surgery but he never made it to the date. It had happened so fast that one morning he just did not wake up. They were not sure if he gave up or if his sickness killed him. But it was enough to keep Marinette back in her parents' house for hours on end.

She eventually went out to visit him, remembering the last words he had offered to the world.

"I hope I did something. I love you, Princess."

It was light yet it was heavy. It was basically implausible to forget everything about him.

"Nobody ever knew you were Chat." She whispered to him through all the tears, "I didn't have time to tell it to everyone. Master Fu was there to claim the miraculouses so suddenly."

"But your legacy," she shook her head, "it won't be forgotten."

Her phone rang loudly and she picked it from her pouch, reading the text.

"Got to go, mon minou." She told him, placing a kiss on his now damp tombstone, "Job awaits."

She stood up, grabbing the umbrella and fixing her dress before walking out of the cemetery through the grassy plains


End file.
